Iran is demanding permission for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and threatening to close it if attacked.
Iran has officially announced that ships must obtain permission from Tehran to transit the Strait of Hormuz, IRNA reports.
The right to safe passage now “directly depends on the level of cooperation with Iranian authorities.” Countries not party to the conflict are “required to undergo a process of full coordination with the competent Iranian authorities” to ensure the safety of their vessels.
Moreover, in the event of an attack on the islands or coast, as well as in the event of strikes on power plants, Iran threatens to completely close the strait.
“The Defense Council confirmed its readiness to launch a decisive and devastating strike against the enemy's energy infrastructure in the event of any attack on Iranian power plants. As a warning, the Council stated that in the event of any attempted aggression against Iranian islands or coastline, the Iranian military will begin extensive mining of all approaches and communication lines in the Persian Gulf. For this purpose, it plans to use modern naval mines, including floating mines launched from the shore. If this scenario materializes, the Persian Gulf will effectively become a 'no-go zone' for an extended period,” IRNA reports.
